Premature infants suffer from or at risk of developing certain chronic lung (or respiratory) diseases (or conditions) at higher rates than full term or near term infants. Because the lungs and the breathing capacity of the infant are compromised, these diseases are often fatal. The increased survival rates of premature infants has led to an increased incidence of such lung diseases. Inflammation is a key pathophysiological feature of multiple lung diseases including, pulmonary hypertension (PH or PAH), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and chronic lung disease of infancy, also known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The increased survival rates of premature infants has led to an increased incidence of BPD and its associated complications that include secondary PH, asthma, and increased rehospitalization rate in the first years of life. BPD is a common complication of prematurity (Kinsella et al., Lancet, 2006, 367:1421-1431; Stenmark and Abman, Annu Rev Physiol, 2005, 67:623-661) and in some studies, can affect up to 35-40% of preterm infants born at <29 weeks gestation. Its underlying causes include mechanical injury, oxygen toxicity, infection, and resultant pulmonary inflammation and damage of the developing lung. Attempts to control BPD have involved gentle ventilation strategies and use of anti-inflammatory agents such as corticosteroids. These treatments however have limited success and unacceptable side effects (Baveja and Christou, Semin Perinatol, 2006, 30:209-218). Long-term effects of these chronic lung diseases are also a concern and include sustained lung damage and neurodevelopmental delay. PH is a serious complication of BPD and is associated with high mortality rate. It is also associated with other forms of lung disease such as COPD. More recently, PH has been recognized to be a major complication of schistosomiasis through mechanisms that involve inflammation. Schistosomiasis has very high prevalence in certain parts of the world and is highly linked with secondary PH, potentially dramatically increasing the incidence of this vascular disease worldwide.